


Stranger Session

by capthamm



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Captain Hook | Killian Jones/Emma Swan Fluff, Denial of Feelings, Drunk!Killian Jones, F/M, Feelings Realization, Fluff, One Shot, Strangers to Lovers, im not sorry, just for fun, please enjoy, the drunk!kj is for pip, this just poured out of me
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-21
Updated: 2020-10-21
Packaged: 2021-03-09 05:07:40
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,653
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27138445
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/capthamm/pseuds/capthamm
Summary: When the New York Times assigns Liam and Elsa to a culture piece highlighting the new trend of “Stranger Sessions,” they decide it’s finally time to introduce Elsa’s roommate to Liam’s brother. Emma finds herself excited to get some photos taken by her rockstar best friend, but confused as to why it matters if they’re late. Killian trusts his brother implicitly until there’s a blindfold involved. Can one photo session light the eternal flame? Probably.
Relationships: Captain Hook | Killian Jones/Emma Swan
Comments: 4
Kudos: 71





	Stranger Session

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by the “Stranger Sessions” that continue to go viral on Facebook. (Let’s assume there isn’t a pandemic so this isn’t an bad idea.)
> 
> . . . = POV change

“I just don’t understand why it  _ matters _ if we’re late when you’re literally the photographer.” Emma grabs her bag as Elsa practically shoves her out their front door. Her roommate and best friend has been irritable for the last three hours, but when Emma walked out of the shower 15 minutes later than she was  _ supposed  _ to, Elsa practically lost it. 

She knows the girl is wound tight but  _ yeesh _ it’s just headshots. 

Elsa has it all. Creative talent, to die for looks, a caring partner, and a killer gig with the New York Times— not to mention she can sing (she’ll deny it every time but their shower holds no secrets). Emma met Elsa their sophomore year of college when she took a beginner photo class thinking it would be an easy A (it wasn’t). Elsa quickly noticed Emma’s immediate confusion with the difference between shutter speed and aperture and was all too eager to help her learn. 

When both her and Elsa got jobs in the city after graduation, Elsa at the NYT and Emma with an adolescent mental health facility, they decided to continue living together. And, as they say, the rest is history. 

Elsa met Liam Jones her first day on the job and Emma  _ knew  _ her friend was a goner. She came home from work that day and talked more about the handsome junior editor that showed her around than the actual position she was there to fill. Liam has remained the topic of conversation for over a year now because apparently he’s more interesting than the literal New York Times. 

Elsa is utterly and completely in love. Also, annoyed— not with Liam, but with Emma for being late (again) and zoning out (again) as they taxi out to some part of Central Park (Emma also wasn’t paying attention when Elsa gave her the details). 

“Emma, are you even listening to me?”

See? Annoyed. 

“Yeah, Els sorry. What’s up?”

Elsa rolls her eyes at Emma but forgets her frustration at the buzz of her phone. Emma clears her throat (more than used to being sidecarred for texting with Liam) and Elsa snaps her head back to attention. “Oh right. We’re almost there!”

Emma turns her head to look out the window and recognizes where they are. She  _ really  _ loves this view of the city. She probably should’ve guessed this is where Elsa would take her for her pictures but she wasn’t all that invested until now. 

Smiling to herself and finally feeling excited to have some fun with her friend (not to mention having something to post on her Instagram that’s sat practically empty for as long as she’s had it), Emma turns back to Elsa. The first thing she notices is how nervous the blonde looks. Emma knows that look  _ anywhere _ . She’s up to something. Putting on her best accusatory tone, Emma questions her lip biting, hand clenching friend, “Els…”

“Just do as I say and for God’s sake  _ trust  _ me.”

Emma is confused by what she means (she fully intended on taking direction from Elsa for these photos), but then she holds out a small black bandana. 

“Put this on.” Emma’s confusion only grows as she takes the cloth from her friend and begins to tie it around her head like a headband. The taxi stops as Elsa sighs, “No Emma, like a blindfold.”

“What the hell is going on Elsa? Are you kidnapping me?” Emma tries to laugh it off but her friend seems as serious as ever. Elsa has done more for her than she could ever imagine and Emma has an extremely hard time telling her no, so when her eyes plead with Emma to play along, she concedes.

As she ties the bandana around her head, everything goes dark. She hears Elsa pay the fare and get out of the taxi only a few seconds before Emma feels her grab her hand. Elsa whispers a soft plea to Emma to  _ please trust her _ as she leads her out of the car. Meanwhile, Emma is running through every possible date today could be that would warrant a surprise, but comes up short on birthdays, anniversaries, and even weird quasi-holidays her and Elsa make up to get drunk. She feels Elsa squeeze her hand a bit tighter before hugging her and Emma can’t help but feel like she’s about to be indoctrinated into a cult— although she’d like to think she was a  _ bit  _ more perceptive than being completely oblivious to her roommate’s cult-like activities.

Elsa tells her to  _ wait there _ as if Emma has any idea where  _ there  _ is and gives her hand one more squeeze. She’s only gone for about thirty seconds before she comes back, Emma can hear two sets of footsteps this time and takes her chances, “Oh, hi, Liam. She’s roped you into this too?” 

Liam speaks, but not to Emma, “Oi, Elsa, can she see?! You promised she wouldn’t be able to through that banda—“ 

Elsa cuts him off, “She cant see, she’s just perceptive, that’s what made planning this such a bitch.”

Emma doesn’t like being in the dark (literally or figuratively), and when she realizes she’s both at the moment, she starts to get irritated, “Elsa, can you just tell me what’s going on?” She doesn’t mean for her frustration to come through in her voice, but can’t help that it does. 

Her friend sighs before grabbing both hands in her own, “Just remember you owe me one for that time I picked you up at 1am on New Year’s because you were too drunk to remember where we lived, and if I’m— we’re right about this, you may owe me like one thousand so please don’t be mad.”

Emma still has no idea what’s happening, but she totally  _ does  _ still owe Elsa for that so she nods in response. Elsa must take that as final because Emma hears her and Liam walk away. She can faintly hear them talking in the distance but the wind is carrying their voices in the opposite direction makes it impossible to tell what it is they’re saying. Then out of nowhere Elsa is back at her side and squeezing all the blood from her hand, “You ready?” 

“How could I possibly be ready Els, I don’t even know what the hell is happening?” 

She can feel her friend roll her eyes before she speaks, “Ok, now.”

. . . 

“I just need you to take  _ one  _ photo of me and Elsa for a Christmas card, little brother.”

“Younger. And you and I both know it will be way more than  _ one photo _ .” Liam is driving them (yes,  _ driving _ ) to Central Park where Killian has somehow been tricked into taking a Christmas card portrait for his brother and his girlfriend. Elsa is a photographer for the NYT so he’s not entirely sure what makes him qualified, or why Liam made  _ him  _ dress nice if it’s truly to be “one photo”.

Killian knows Liam will want Elsa to take a picture of the two of them which already severs their  _ one photo _ deal, but his brother has done more for him than any brother should ever need to do so Killian finds it difficult to complain— and, apparently, to say no. 

Liam magically finds parking relatively close to the spot they scoped out earlier that week. Killian loves the view of the skyscrapers through the trees and Liam didn’t argue one bit at his choice, commending him for being invested enough to pick a spot at all. He wasn’t necessarily invested, but he couldn’t help but be entranced by the view of the city from this location. They’re about to round the corner when Killian feels Liam grab his shoulder, “Liam?”

His brother’s face levels with him, an anxious gaze sweeping across it almost instantly, suddenly Killian feels very off center. “Killian, I need you to trust me.”

“With my life, brother.” Killian answers without a hint of hesitation and means every word. All of the sudden, he may not know what he’s getting himself into, but knows his brother only wants what’s best for him. Liam has proved that fact over the entire course of Killian’s life. When they lost their parents, it was Liam who made sure they never separated in foster homes, and Liam who took on the role of Killian’s guardian the moment he turned of age. Everything Killian has, from a degree from NYU in naval engineering and a job in his field to food on the table each night, is thanks to his brother. 

Liam nods before pulling a dark navy handkerchief out of his back pocket. “Put this on.”

“Oi? Like a blindfold? Are you mental?” Killian starts to mentally backtrack on his declaration of trust when he hears another voice behind him. 

“Just  _ do  _ it, Killian.” Elsa gives him a look and he swears she sends ice through his veins. He’d be a bloody fool to argue with that. 

“As you wish, m’lady.” He mocks a bow as Liam smacks Killian upside the head for fake flirting with his girlfriend of almost a year and a half. Killian isn’t sure what cosmic force brough Elsa into their lives, but he’s sure there's never been a love like the one he sees between his brother and Elsa. He thought he had that once, but watching these two over the past year has truly put in perspective what love is. 

He’d probably kill for something a fraction as powerful. 

Liam is staring at him like he grew a second head and Killian realizes he got lost in his own mind. He snatches the cloth from Liam’s hand reluctantly before tying it over his eyes. 

He hates the dark— unless it allows him to see the stars. 

Killian isn’t sure what Elsa and Liam are up to. He tries to rack his brain for any occasion which would warrant such a fuss but comes up empty. Out of no where Liam punches Killian in the shoulder, “Oi, what the fuck, Liam?”

“Told you he couldn't see, love. Let’s get this over with.” Killian decides Elsa must be satisfied with Liam’s experiment when he hears them both walk away. He stands awkwardly for a few moments before he feels Liam’s hands firm on his shoulders walk him a short ways, presumably to the space they scoped out before.

“You ready, little brother?” 

Killian ignores Liam’s intentional jab. He can’t begin to know how to answer his brother’s question when he has no clue what it is he should be preparing for, but finds his center again by focusing on his trust in Liam. “Aye, I s’pose so, mate.”

Liam moves to Killian’s side before speaking again, “Okay, take ‘er off.” 

. . .

It takes a moment for both their eyes to adjust and another moment for the protests to begin. Killian rounds on Liam, “Brother, I  _ told  _ you I wasn’t interested in dating anyone.  _ Especially _ Elsa’s roommate. Do you realize the problems we’ll have if any one of these relationships end  _ badly?” _

Emma turns to Elsa using silence as her weapon of choice, her glaring saying all she needs to say. Elsa gives as good as she gets though, forcing Emma to speak, “Els… talk. Now.”

Elsa snaps a picture of Emma before turning to Killian and taking one of him as well. Emma’s sure she looks like a total bitch in the photo but she’s not sure she cares. Killian barely notices the sound of the shutter. 

Elsa clears her throat and the man Emma only knows as Liam’s younger brother stops speaking immediately. Killian knows better than to speak over Elsa and no matter how frustrated he is with Liam, it wouldn’t be fair to take it out on her. 

“Liam and I were assigned to a very specific culture piece and you two are going to help us out whether you like it or not. We’re sorry for lying to you but we knew neither of you would agree if we’d told you the truth.” Emma notices the younger Jones brother goes to protest again at the same time she does, but Elsa cuts them both off. “Some photoshoot of strangers doing a session as their first date went viral on Facebook and The Times wants to know if chemistry is contrived or something actually felt.”

Killian scoffs at the idiocracy of the piece, and can’t help but notice that Emma makes a very similar noise when Elsa explains what they're going to do, “You two are going to do a photo session together. For all intents and purposes, exactly the same as any other couple I’ve photographed.”

Emma can’t believe what she’s hearing, and her throat goes dry as she realizes what Elsa is saying. She’s going to have to  _ kiss  _ Jones 2.0. 

“This is bloody insane, Elsa!” Killian allows his own outburst despite the fact it’s going to  _ royally  _ piss off Liam. 

“Killian, that’s enough.” Emma’s grateful Liam gave a name to the man standing across from her, but she’d have much preferred they stay complete strangers and  _ not  _ have to do what they both know they’re about to agree to.

Killian looks at his brother and knows he’s going to agree to this no matter what. He waves a fake white flag in defeat. That’s when he and Emma finally lock eyes and he can tell she’s surrendered as well. Emma can’t help but notice how  _ blue _ his eyes are. 

Neither of them notice Liam and Elsa glance at one another, or the sound of another shutter closing. Killian stops studying the beautiful blonde he only recognizes from photographs when Elsa speaks, despite Emma looking away from him moments before. Emma takes a deep breath in before turning to her friend expectantly, Elsa smiles smugly, “Well, it won’t be golden hour forever. Let’s do this.” 

. . .

Emma has seen Elsa’s engagement and wedding sessions, sure they’re gorgeous, but they’re also deeply intimate. Not intimate in a sexual way (although some of those poses do get a  _ tad _ too touchy for Emma’s liking), but in the honest and  _ raw  _ way. Emma always feels like she knows each couple just by looking through their galleries– some are goofy and light hearted, some cling to each other for dear life, and others are modest and shy. It doesn’t matter what type of relationship the couple has, Elsa portrays it perfectly. 

What the hell kind of story could she  _ possibly  _ tell between Emma and a man she just met? 

Emma glances over at Killian and is only slightly relieved to see he seems just as nervous as she is– there’d be some serious red flags if he  _ wasn’t _ nervous. As the session starts, it becomes painfully awkward– two people determined to help the ones they love smacking elbows and even foreheads at one point. They’ve muttered “sorry” more than the camera has gone off and Emma is getting frustrated. 

“Elsa, this isn’t working.” Emma hears Liam’s soft spoken critique and takes it as a challenge.

“Elsa can you give Killian and I a minute?” Her friend nods in shock as Killian’s eyes blow wide. She makes sure Elsa and Liam are out of ear shot before turning to her photo partner. “Actors and actresses practically sleep with one another all the time on set so we can do  _ one _ photo session and make it look like we like each other, yeah?”

Killian nods at her, still in shock it seems, but definitely listening, “Aye, lass. We can. Elsa must be pretty special for you to agree to this.” He’s almost adorable as he scratches behind his ear. Everything she’s heard of the younger Jones is promiscuous and wild but she’s having a hard time finding that man in this one. 

“Almost as special as Liam is to you, I’d imagine.” Emma glances over to the masterminds behind this idea and finds them crouched over the camera, probably evaluating every last awkward limb. Now’s their chance, they could just ru–

“Kiss me.” 

“Excuse me?” Now it’s Emma’s turn to look shocked. If she didn’t know better, she’d probably clock him in the jaw for being so forward, but he speaks again quickly. 

“We’re going to have to kiss eventually it might as well be while the camera is  _ off. _ ” Killian glances towards Liam and Elsa and she gets his point. 

A switch turns on inside of her as a wall goes up. Logically she knows she’ll probably have to kiss him for Elsa’s sake, but she’s not ready. She makes a feeble attempt to play off his request, “Please, you couldn’t handle it.” It comes out flirtier than she intended, but her guard is up. 

Killian leans into her space, the air between them thickening uncontrollably and she starts to understand where the rumors must come from. She feels like she’s seeing him in high definition– every freckle, that scar– and,  _ god,  _ he’s handsome. “Perhaps you’re the one who couldn’t handle it.” He has the audacity to wink and it sets off something primal in Emma. Before she can stop herself, instincts kick in and she’s grasping at his collar and willingly surging forward into the kiss he baited her into initiating. 

. . . 

Killian doesn’t expect it to work but suddenly Emma’s lips are on his and the world freezes. He  _ also _ didn’t expect to feel anything. Emma is fiery, and strong willed, and bloody gorgeous, but he was never supposed to feel this way again.

How does one simple kiss undo a promise nearing 8 years old? 

He can’t help but kiss back and when they come up for air it takes every ounce of his self control not to lean in for another taste. “That was…” He’s selfish– he wants to chase the high– but then he hears the click of the camera and reality washes over him. 

“Exactly! That’s what we’re looking for!” Elsa interjects with an excited squeal. Killian glances towards Elsa, but finds his eyes consistently drawn back to Emma. He’s hyper aware that she still has a hold on his jacket collar, but as he hears Elsa give direction, he realizes the kiss must not have shaken Emma as much as it did him. 

_ Fuck. _

The rest of the session continues and it seems he and Emma got over whatever hurdle was blocking them before. Everything feels so natural with her now that they’ve burst from the confines of an awkward stranger and fully stepped into the role of being deeply in love. 

Killian’s only slightly worried he’s growing too comfortable while playing his part. 

. . .

Emma has more fun than she’d care to admit. Killian makes it easy to feel comfortable around him now that they effectively took a sledgehammer to the wall between them, and the wave of disappointment that washes over her when Elsa says they’ve got what they came for is unexpected and a little terrifying. 

She didn’t  _ want _ to be here. Now she doesn’t want to leave. 

Liam suggests they all go out for drinks and Emma (hopefully) stops herself from appearing over eager. She’s interested in Killian and as terrifying as that is, she figures there is little harm done with one drink. Elsa gives her a knowing glance when Emma agrees, but she ignores her friend and turns back to Killian as he gives Emma the address for the bar they frequent. 

Then Elsa speaks up, “Emma we don’t need to take a cab, Liam happens to be the only man crazy enough to drive in the city and his car is parked nearby.” She glances happily between Emma and Killian again before turning on her heels and catching up with Liam who seems determined to get to the bar before anyone else. Killian just shrugs and gestures for Emma to lead the way. 

She likes the way his hand grazes the small of her back– also the way he smells like saltwater and tea.

That is the most British thing she’s ever– “Swan, watch it.” 

Killian snaps her out of her daydream (about him nonetheless) and helps her narrowly avoid an improperly disposed of doggy bag. You’d think she’d have smelt it before she got close enough to step on it but when it comes to Killian it seems her nose has selective smelling (that’s probably not a thing). In an effort to avoid the bag, Emma latches onto Killian, using him to catch her balance. 

He smirks as she swears; she needs to find her balance again, “Photoshoots over, Swan.” 

She rolls her eyes, “I was  _ trying _ not to fall into dog shit, Killian.” 

Emma tries to break the spell by backing away but he pulls her closer, “Next time, don’t stand on ceremony.” She’s flustered as he let’s go, jogging a bit ahead of her. She realizes now how dangerous Killian Jones truly could be. 

She pulls her phone out of her pocket, and holds it up to her ear, “Hello?” 

The trio in front of her turn around at her overly obvious greeting, pausing as she speaks. “Uh huh. Yup. Sure. Now? Alright.” She hangs up the phone, and turns to her friends. “That was work, they need help with Gretl and I’m the only one she’ll talk to.” 

Emma refuses to look at Killian as she says it, but can’t help but notice (even out of the corner of her eye) how the smile on his face drops immediately. Elsa seems too interested in her camera to notice anything fishy, “Oh that’s alright, Em! Another time?” 

Emma nods, still refusing to look at the younger Jones brother. She realizes she has to walk the same direction to get to the cab stand and awkwardly hovers next to Killian. As they exit the park, Killian speaks again, “What’re you doing, Swan?” 

Of course he caught on– his read on her was extremely apparent in the way they cliqued during their surprise session. She doesn’t mean to be so honest in her response, “I can’t take the chance I’m wrong about you.” Looking away and effectively ending the conversation, Emma hails a cab (thankful to retrieve one in record time) and gets in the backseat. Elsa and Liam wave as the car drives off, but Emma finds her eyes trained only on Killian. She expected him to be pissed, defeated even, but a look of determination has settled into his stark features and it sends a shiver down her spine. Once they’re out of the rearview, Emma pulls her phone from her pocket and holds down the side button watching it come to life for the first time in hours. 

. . .

Killian ignores the pity looks on the faces of Liam and Elsa as he third wheels their trip to the bar. He knows Emma ran and he knows why— he felt it too. It’s easier to pretend that she actually  _ did  _ get called into work, but he’d rather not get in the habit of lying to himself.

He’d also rather her not run— too bad he only has control over one of those things. 

The lack of control seems to transfer over to his drinking, staying long past Elsa and Liam’s goodbyes. Somewhere around the 6th drink, Killian checks his phone for what must be the hundredth time. He sighs in defeat at his empty inbox before grabbing his jacket and pushing his way through the crowded bar. Unable to stop himself, Killian checks “one last time” as he exits through the heavy wood door, and hails a cab. He’s not sure how, in his inebriated state and only having been there one or two times, he was able to rattle off Elsa’s address, but it’s not long until he finds himself on the sidewalk in front of her building. 

. . .

Emma tells herself she’s not sure what made her decide to hail another taxi and head to the bar. There’s a high chance he and her friends aren’t even there anymore, but she tells herself the fact that Elsa has yet to return is a good sign despite knowing full well her roommate is probably crashing at Liam’s. Determined, Emma is about to grab her purse when she hears something fall onto her balcony. The unexpected noise makes her jump slightly, but her curiosity wins out over fear. She walks slowly towards the sliding glass door as another landscaping rock finds its way onto the floor of her porch. 

“What the fuck?” Emma can’t help but talk to herself, they’ve had all sorts of characters outside their apartment, but this is new. She opens the sliding glass door as another rock lands at her feet. Now able to hear better, her sound no longer impeded by the door, Emma discovers the source of the new additions to her porch. 

“Swan! Emma Swan! Emma!” 

_ Killian Jones is at her fucking apartment and he is  _ **_wasted_ ** _.  _

Worried he’ll disturb the neighbors, Emma leans over the balcony to find him bent forward picking up another small red rock from the garden below. “Killian! What the fuck are you doing here?” She hisses as though a loud whisper is any better than Killian’s yelling. 

“SWAN!” He drops the rock and waves clumsily. It’s almost adorable. “It’s ‘bout bloody time you showed up. I damn near ran out of rocks!” He gestures towards the large garden bed with  _ plenty  _ of rocks so confidently that Emma can’t help but bark out a laugh. 

“I can see that, Jones. What do you want?” She knows in her gut why he’s here, it's the same reason she was ready to take the 45 minute cab ride back into the city to  _ maybe  _ see him at the bar, but something in her needs to hear him say it. 

“To see your beautiful face, lass! Couldn’ get ya’ out of my head. I thought that’d be pretty obvious.” He’s still yelling at an obnoxious volume, but he’s also scratching behind his ear, and calling her beautiful, and the alcohol is making his British accent thicker than she thought possible. Emma rolls her eyes in an attempt to mask the blush that she couldn’t stop from creeping across her cheeks. He doesn’t seem fooled as he smirks up at her; the ball is in her court, but even an entirely in-the-bag Killian knows there’s no question she wants him.

Emma sighs, knowing this decision is one she’ll most likely regret but shouting in a whisper down to her visitor all the same, “You’re going to wake up the entire neighborhood. Stay put– I’ll be right down.” 

He mock salutes before sitting down on the corner of the bed which– just moments ago– provided him the ammo to get her attention. She takes a deep breath before checking herself in the mirror by the front door, one last time. She’d psyched herself up enough to go to the bar, but she also told herself it’d be different because Liam and Elsa were there too. That was a blatant lie and she knew it; in the minimal time she spent with Killian, he somehow seemed like the only human on the entire planet (her roommate and her boyfriend quickly fading from view). It’s this type of intense emotion which usually sends Emma running for the hills, but she’s got a drunk Brit with impeccable aim waiting for her downstairs so it’s now or never. 

She grabs her keys and walks down the stairs. Killian is still sitting on the garden bed when she arrives and he looks up at the sound of the door opening. She swears she sees his eyes light up as they meet hers, and she tells herself she didn’t hear the way he whispered “Swan” at the first sight of her  _ not _ three stories in the air. What do you say to someone you've only just met, yet felt like home from the moment you kissed him? She has a million things she should say— maybe even wants to say, but she can’t seem to get the courage to open her mouth. When she meets his eyes, bluer than the ocean on a sunny day even in the dim light of the street lamp, they calm her and frighten her all at once. 

Then the moment is promptly ruined as Killian tries to stand, surging forward so she has to catch him before he hits the concrete step. “Why is it we keep ending up in this situation, m’lady? If you’d like to cuddle, you need but ask.” He wiggles his eyebrows and as annoyed as Emma would like to be, she’s entirely endeared to this man. 

“Alright, Jones. Come on. Let’s get you upstairs, I think I have a frozen pizza.” He follows her up the steps and she can’t help but pause before going into the apartment. This feels monumental for some reason and she has half a mind to call him a cab and send him back to his own apartment for Liam and Elsa to deal with. 

But the other half of her mind wins over.

She unlocks the door and enters her apartment as Killian hangs in the doorway. She turns to look at him as he scans the place, she could’ve sworn he’d been here a time or two, just always when Emma was away. “You’ve been here before, Jones. I’m not giving a grand tour.” 

He turns his head towards her, still slow on the up-take probably due to the rum she smelt on him when he fell into her. “Aye, but this feels different somehow.” Emma’s breath gets caught in her chest. She felt it, but to hear him say it so candidly catches her off guard. 

“Right, well make yourself at home. I’ll throw in the pizza.” He nods and smiles softly, before heading into the living room. Emma is grateful for the moment alone to process the rollercoaster this day has been. She falls into a habit, knowing how to make a frozen pizza without much thought, and before long finds herself headed to join Killian in the living room, a glass of water and some pizza in hand. 

She chuckles when it looks like she’ll be dining for one. Killian has completely passed out in the most awkward way. She does her best to move him into a more comfortable position, that he  _ won’t _ feel tomorrow morning, before covering him with her favorite throw. It’s then that she takes a moment to  _ really  _ look at him. He seems so peaceful like this, all traces of the suave and flirtatious Jones gone, leaving behind the gentle Killian she feels like she’s known her whole life. 

She should be terrified.

Instead she finds herself eating pizza on the recliner adjacent to his feet while quietly watching The Office. Her mind feels too wired to fall asleep, but it’s not long before she drifts off, never making it to her bed at all. 

. . . 

Orienting himself takes longer than usual as Killian wakes up on a couch that most definitely does not belong to him with a headache that feels like it’s touching the depths of his brain. There’s something sharp in his pocket, pressing uncomfortably into his side. Rolling on his back, he digs for the culprit only to find a handful of red rocks. Only making himself more confused, he looks around. When he sees her fast asleep in the recliner at his feet, it doesn’t take long for bits of pieces of yesterday to come flooding back. 

_ Bloody hell. _

He remembers very little after leaving the bar, but apparently he ended up at Emma Swan’s apartment and she  _ let him inside _ . He can’t remember much else, and couldn’t possibly explain the rocks in his pocket, but he does know she took him in and he  _ definitely  _ owes her one. Careful not to wake her, Killian makes his way to the kitchen in search of something to make for breakfast and settles on eggs and pancakes. He’s not used to the set up of the kitchen, but once he has all his materials, the rest seems to come with ease. 

Like he was meant to be here. 

Funny how that seems to happen whenever he’s around Emma. 

He’s finishing up the last of the pancake batter when he hears the sound of her bare feet on the tile. She’s rubbing the sleep from her eye in the most adorable way as she enters the kitchen. “I’m not sure what you found but it smells delicious.” 

He smiles at Emma’s compliment– apparently he wasn’t  _ so  _ much of an ass as to warrant immediate removal from her presence. That gives him some confidence as he serves her breakfast. 

She smiles softly in thanks before diving in to eat her pancakes. He’s sure the fact that this feels like it’s happened a million times before should be more terrifying but he’s having a hard time feeling anything but hope. 

He keeps waiting for the other shoe to drop as breakfast turns into coffee and The Office which turns into lunch. Before he knows it, Elsa comes home to find them fighting over which episode is more cringey (he will always find The Dinner Party  _ way  _ worse than Scott’s Tots) while sitting entirely too close on the couch. Emma is still recovering from the belly laughs they’d shared for over an hour, but Killian catches the glint in Elsa’s eye. 

He’ll have to remember to thank her someday. 

Their second date is a little more conventional, Italian food and a chaste kiss goodnight. In fact, they don’t have a professional camera at another date until almost two years later. Elsa and Liam get promoted when their second article in as many years goes viral. This time, the headline reads UPDATE and the photos gracing the page documents the engagement of two people determined to spend their lives never becoming strangers again

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading and to my beta and to Pip :) Come flail on tumblr! <3


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